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Cops: Teens Attacked Adult Near Taste Of Park Ridge

(CBS) — It was a vicious attack: The alleged beating of a man by teenagers amid a large crowd in northwest suburban Park Ridge’s Hinkley Park last weekend.

And it was was caught on video.

Footage first obtained by the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate shows a 48-year-old man in a yellow shirt pushed to the ground and then punched and kicked by three individuals while a raucous crowd looks on. CBS 2 aired the video on Thursday night at 10 p.m.

Police say the man was looking for his son when someone threw a lit firework near him. When he tried to find out who threw it, he was attacked and suffered a concussion. Eventually, another teen stepped him to help the man.

Park Ridge Police Det. John Dorner said the video is consistent with others that detectives have viewed of the incident, which occurred just before 10 p.m., July 12, not far from Taste of Park Ridge festivities. Police estimated there may have been as many as 200 teens in the park that night.

Police have charged three teens with felony aggravated battery and mob action for the attack: Jordan Gonzalez, 18, of the 1000 block of Arthur Street in Park Ridge; Mac Piazza, 18, of the 6200 block of North Northwest Highway in Chicago; and a 16-year-old boy.

Gonzalez and Piazza appeared in court Wednesday, where bond was set at $40,000 and $30,000, respectively.

Both remained in custody at Cook County Jail as of Thursday afternoon, but if bond is posted and they are released, they will be required to wear an electronic monitoring device, police said.

The 16-year-old has been petitioned to juvenile court.

Police said Gonzalez, who had attended Maine South High School and was listed as a member of the varsity football team last year, was on juvenile probation at the time of his arrest.

According to police, the altercation occurred after fireworks were reportedly set off at Hinkley Park and one exploded near the feet of the victim and a group of girls who were standing nearby.

A crowd reportedly gathered around the man and began verbally assaulting him before the physical altercation began, police said.

Detectives say no other arrests in connection with the man’s beating are likely, though they are still investigating other, undisclosed occurrences at the park that night.

Police are also hoping to locate the teen who, according to witnesses and video footage, appeared to try to stop one of the suspects from approaching the man a second time. They hope to thank him for his actions.